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2025 is off to a rocky start for the local F&B scene. Along with several hawker stalls closing, Burger & Lobster is shutting their first (and last remaining) outlet at Jewel. Other restaurants that have shuttered their Jewel outlets include Violet Oon’s eponymous restaurant, and modern Japanese restaurant Tanuki Raw will likely follow suit in April.
The latest closure announcement is from The Social Outcast, whose final service at their popular Katong outlet will be on 30 Mar 2025. They will be hosting a BBQ Block Party on 29 and 30 Mar 2025 as a final send-off.
In an Instagram post on The Social Outcast’s account, founders Aminurrashid Hasnordin (also known as Mint) and Noelle Chua announced the closure. It was not sudden, or “because things had gone south” – in fact, they had been planning it for at least the past year. Now that every goal they had set for themselves was met, it was time for them to step back and take a rest.
The announcement was made with “joy in their hearts”, providing a bittersweet ending to The Social Outcast’s current chapter. A previous interview with Noelle revealed that the restaurant struggled with staffing issues. Mr Aminurrashid has also confided that he was unable to find talent, and even if he did, it was difficult to hang on to them as they’d eventually be snatched up by bigger players in the F&B scene.
This lack of manpower was the biggest pain point for him, more so than increasing rental and ingredient costs. He says that he would have considered staying on if he “had three or four talented chefs and a general manager” because he would then have had space to do other tasks and grow the business.
However, Mr Aminurrashid and Ms Noelle say that the closure “isn’t the end” for The Social Outcast brand. They intend to run popups and private dining events alongside exploring other opportunities, such as opening outlets overseas.
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